BRIDGEPORT -- Political parties have just begun endorsement talks for upcoming City Council and Board of Education races. And petition forms for candidates seeking to wage primaries for the 20 open council seats or five school board spots won't be available for at least another week.

Yet Ricky DeJesus, former vice chairman of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, already has his campaign supporters going door-to-door in the council's 136th District in fluorescent green T-shirts. DeJesus, 40, owns Genesis Motor Works and has helped out in various campaigns. It's his first time running for office.

"We usually try and back the best candidate for the job," said DeJesus, who lives in the 137th district, but would move to the 136th if he won. "Just the bench has been weak lately, so we've been forced to step up and do a little more. We're just regular Joe Schmoes. We're not politicians. Not the deep pockets. We're regular constituents tired of not being heard. That's who we are."

This year more than ever, some say, City Council critics and "regular Joe Schmoes" are stepping off the sidelines and gearing up for a battle to unseat council incumbents. Primary challenges are expected in at least six of the 10 council districts.

More Information

Elections calendarJuly 16 to 23 -- Political parties make endorsements between these days. Petitions for primary candidates are made available the day after endorsements, or the last day for making endorsements, whichever comes first.Aug. 7 -- Last day for primary petitions to be turned in and first day for write-in candidates to register.Aug. 20 -- First day absentee ballots become available.Sept. 4 -- Last day for minor parties nominations.Sept. 5 -- Last day to register to vote for primary.Sept. 10 -- Primaries held between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Information from the Connecticut secretary of the state

Challengers say they are tired of seeing their taxes increase and development projects stall. Some are angry about the $3 million the council voted to borrow last September for Sikorsky Memorial Airport, $400,000 of which was spent on a driveway for millionaire developer Manuel "Manny" Moutinho.

This, some claim, shows the all-Democratic council, many of whom are city employees, too often rubber-stamp Mayor Bill Finch's decisions instead of standing up for their constituents.

"How about poor city management, like when we couldn't get plowing in the wintertime? Where was that? Where is our money going?" said Mary Filo, 42, a Black Rock resident who plans to run on the Republican ticket in the 130th District. "We put tons into the school system, but they don't seem to be overall improving. I'm watching what's going on with that driveway issue now. ... You kind of clue into these things and go, `Whoa, that's money out of my pocket.' "

Filo, a single mom with two kids who works for a food management company in New Haven, sat in on a recent council Budget Committee meeting to get a feel for what they do.

Challengers to the status quo now have a new tool in their campaign toolbox -- a bipartisan political action committee looking for candidates to support.

Although it has yet to endorse candidates, Citizens Working for a Better Bridgeport has reached out to individuals of all parties seeking to challenge incumbents and has begun collecting contributions.

It's this shift in public opinion about the status quo that convinced Robert Halstead, former coordinator of the city's community gardens, that now is the time to run.

Halstead, who worked for 25 years in city government as a city planner and in other jobs, is making his first bid for public office alongside Trish Swain. They hope to unseat incumbents M. Evette Brantley and John Olson in the 132nd District.

"It's just not enough to just speak out," Halstead said. "I've talked to a lot of people who feel like I do. I think it's not going to be easy, but I think there are better conditions (to run for office). I think people are speaking out in numbers they've never had before."

As usual, though, it will be the city's Democrats who will face off in a Sept. 10 primary for a chance to get on the November ballot.

John Slater, RTC chairman, said he expects to have a full slate of council and school board candidates, but the party will put most of its focus on races in Black Rock and the North End, high turnout areas of the city where most council leaders live.

For example, Susan Brannelly, who represents Black Rock as a 130th District councilwoman, serves as co-chairwoman of the Budget Committee that voted to increase taxes, he said.

"Our issues are with what the council has done rather than with individual people," Slater said.

The Working Families Party, meanwhile, which has won several school board seats here, hasn't yet decided whether to endorse or, as they have done in the past, cross-endorse candidates for council.

Democrats in all but four of the 10 council districts -- the 130th, 131st, 133rd and 134th districts -- have stepped up publicly to express interest in a possible primary challenge. And all would be running against the incumbents, with the possible exception of East Side councilman Manuel Ayala who is rumored to be opting out of a re-election run.

East Side Councilwoman Lydia Martinez will be running with Milta Feliciano, a former president of the Puerto Rican Parade of Fairfield County Inc., to keep her seat in the 137th District. But this time around, Martinez will not have her party's support.

Last year, a slate supporting former Councilwoman Maria Valle won the majority in the 137th district away from supporters of Martinez, who has won two primaries against Valle since 2009 with the party's backing.

In the 135th District, the Rev. Mary Lee, a city schoolteacher, said she will run again for a seat in the 135th District -- if only to keep her councilmen on their toes. She will wage a primary against Warren Blunt, one of three councilmen who serve dual roles as district leader, and his council partner, Richard Bonney.

"I would run even if I didn't think I could win," she said with a chuckle. "I intend to make them at least work for the nomination."

Marella, however, still owns a home in Shelton and is just renting an apartment in Bridgeport. Challengers have not yet stepped up.

Councilman Andre Baker, D-139th, is debating whether to seek re-election or to try to join the school board. The latter depends on whether he has enough support to gain the nomination.

Baker has garnered a reputation for asking questions and casting "no" votes on the all-Democrat body that can irritate his colleagues and Mayor Bill Finch. Yet he now has a toddler who will soon enter the city's public school system.

"So I'm going to be involved with the Board of Education one way or another. I thought I could be part of helping to improve the Board of Education -- bringing in some of my experience as a council person," Baker said.

But even his council race is a bit more complicated with community activist Eneida Martinez-Walker's decision to enter the race and former councilman and state Sen. Ernest Newton contemplating a run as well.

Newton, who gained the district nomination for his failed bid for a state Senate seat last year, said he is waiting for Baker's decision.

"It weighs a lot if Andre decides to run for the (school) board," he said. "I haven't made a decision but the City Council ... I haven't seen it this bad."

Both he and Martinez-Walker, who has organized several anti-crime rallies in recent years, took issue with the fact that a handful of council members, including Baker's council partner, James Holloway, have city jobs.

"I'm going to be more of an Andre Baker," Martinez-Walker said, noting Baker was the only one to oppose the airport funds. "I'm not going to say yes to everything because that's what the rest of the council are voting on. I'm going to ask a lot of questions and I would like answers."

Martinez-Walker, a case worker in Bridgeport for the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, said Holloway has always been helpful, but has been in office long enough.

"Holloway's been in office for 18 years. Time for him to retire. I don't have anything personal against him, but it's time for him to retire," she said.

Holloway, though, has no plans to retire. "People can do what they want to do but are they up to the task of really doing the job?" he said. "I'm not worried about it."